


A School Date

by gatekat



Category: SWAT Kats: The Radical Squadron
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anthropomorphic, F/M, First Time, Furry, M/M, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-10-11
Updated: 2000-10-15
Packaged: 2019-02-26 04:50:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13228449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gatekat/pseuds/gatekat
Summary: Two unrelated fills for For Proxima's SKA Story Challenge:Jake and Chance are teenagers going to high school together. They've been best friends for years but nothing else has come of it relationship-wise. Jake finally builds up the courage to ask Chance out and he says yes. Jake spends the next couple of days going crazy making sure that their first date will go perfectly.





	1. Risk and Reward

**Author's Note:**

> At the risk of a lifelong friendship, Jake Clawson makes a choice in high school in hope of fulfilling a dream.

Jake Clawson shivered despite the hot water of his morning shower as he stroked himself, kneeling with lean legs spread wide on the warm fiberglass. Water and steam wrapped around him, adding random pinpricks and flowing trickles of liquid through his fur to the steady pressure of his hand. His mind familiar enough with this fantasy to easily supply the required modifications to his senses.

He worked himself hard, knowing he didn't have much time to indulge himself this morning. From innocent touches of friendship and comfort he imaged his hands as the tabby lover he hadn't dared approach yet. Fingers far bigger than his own stroked him; strong, fast motions along the length of nearly bare flesh; slower, teasing claws through the fur of his chest and legs. He made no attempt to forestall his building climax and clenched his teeth to smother the groaning roar rumbling up from his balls. It didn't matter that there was no one in the apartment to hear him; it didn't feel right to give voice to his pleasure like that.

* * *

Chance Furlong settled into his desk in first period on Monday with a slightly concerned glance for the one next to him. His best friend almost always beat him to class. Of course, the lean tom actually _liked_ school, which was a good deal more than the tabby could say for himself. This, and the collage courses to follow, were just a necessary evil to become an Enforcer pilot. Chance was just grateful he was smart enough to coast through most of them, especially these early morning ones.

"Hi, buddy."

The tabby turned his head as his ear was swatted, but grinned at the shorter cinnamon tom anyway. "Hi, yourself. Where you been?"

"Uuuh ..." Jake's mind desperately searched for an acceptable answer for the heavily muscled tom still showing the marks of more growth to come.

"Found a girlfriend?" Chance snickered as his friend blushed beneath reddish fur and took his seat under the curious gaze of the dozen-odd Kats already in the room. "Or would that be a boyfriend?"

Jake stopped breathing and flushed brighter before he looked away, pretending to deal with getting the history books out of his backpack. "Nno. Just, didn't feel like moving very fast this morning."

"You okay?"

"Yyah." The lean tom shivered at the concern in his friend's voice. "Just not one of my ... better mornings. Are you still coming over Saturday?"

"Of course." The tabby blinked in absolute confusion. "I'd never miss your birthday."

"Would you ..." Jake voice dropped to a uncertain whisper. "Urr, well, like to come over dinner or something, tonight?"

"You bet." He smiled with real enthusiasm at the thought of the other tom's cooking. The morning bell rang before he could ask why Jake was so nervous that his company and food wouldn't be wanted.

* * *

They didn't get another opportunity to talk until Chance caught up with his friend in the parking lot after school.

"Hay Jake!" He called over the rumble of cinnamon tom's motorcycle starting up.

Jake glanced over and let the motor lower to an idle as he pulled the helmet off, nervousness apparent in every line of his not quite grown body as he waited for what the tabby wanted.

"Where you rushing off too?" He almost panted after running across the entire campus with his backpack and helmet.

"Just home."

"Mind if I hang out ... while you cook?" He hesitated as something he couldn't identify flickered in amber eyes as they settled on his black helmet with gold lightning bolts between the ear-holes.

"Umm, sure." Jake shifted forward a little so the bigger Kat could sit behind him and tried desperately not to groan as strong, muscular arms wrapped around him, so close to the embrace he dreamed of as he fell asleep it hurt.

"You okay?" Chance's truly concerned whisper was in his ear.

"Ye .. yes." He breathed unsteadily and pulled out at high speed before another question could be asked, or he did something extremely stupid in front of half the student body.

* * *

As they nearly flew through busy streets to Jake's apartment, Chance's mind rolled over what he knew, what he'd heard, and what he was smelling now in his friend's scent; traces growing arousal and fear not even the fast wind could sweep away completely.

It all added up to a single answer; his kittenhood best friend had a thing for him, and he wasn't likely to make the first move. Jake never had before with his boyfriends or girlfriends after all, and the inexperienced tom was clearly too uncertain to be counted on to make that more-than-friends offer.

The tabby was startled with he realized they'd stopped, but managed to get off the bike before his hesitation drew attention. "You never did tell how you managed to get a place to yourself ..." He asked as a distraction, for both of them.

"Hu ... oh, umm, I ..." He dropped his eyes as he opened the door to a slightly-better-than-student-class two bedroom apartment. "I don't have any family left."

Chance scrunched his brows as they walked in and locked the door behind them. "Wouldn't Kitten Services have set you up with a foster family or something?" He instantly regretted the question as his friend shivered and looked completely away from him.

"They would ..." His voice dropped very low. "If they knew."

"Hu?" The tabby couldn't help the wordless question as he followed Jake into the kitchen.

"I'm a reasonably good forger when I have the incentive." He sort of confessed and offered the tabby a milk can. "And KS is big enough not to ask too many question when everything looks to be in order."

"I ... think I'd rather have juice or something." He rested his hand on the leanly muscled shoulder, something between a caress and a friendly touch. He wasn't a bit surprised when his friend froze, looking at him with an unreadable expression as he removed his hand. "Is that not okay?"

"It's ... okay." Jake shook slightly as he returned the milk and pulled a pitcher of ice tea out. "This work?"

"Sure." Chance backed off a bit, covering his own uncertainty by getting two glasses from the cupboard. "Just not really feeling like getting drunk tonight."

"Oh." Jake tried to hide his disappointment as he poured their drinks. "So what do you want to do till it's time for dinner?"

Chance thought a moment, considering his options in bringing up being boyfriends, or at least satisfying the hunger his friend had for him if that's all it was. "I don't know, maybe watch a movie or something?"

"Sounds good to me." Jake managed to smile.

Chance accepted his glass and followed the increasingly unsettled tom to the living room and lounged on the slightly warn dark couch. While the lean Kat's back was turned to him, he took a moment to really look at his friend. Not really what he was into, but the pure, hard muscled frame had its appeal, even without the mass and height he liked. Then there was that nice ass, and fairly graceful movements. Overall, he could see what others saw there ... and knew from experience that his friend's mind was a source of attraction too. It would hardly be a sacrifice to pleasure that body, and the Kat who owned it.

"Anything in particular?" Jake called while skimming through his collection.

"Umm, one of those dinos on an island horror flicks?"

"BloodClaw one, two, or three ... or Terror from Alkatraz?" He'd pulled all four cases out.

"BloodClaw three." Chance grinned, remembering a particularly ... useful scene for his plans. He blinked as the lights went out and the small TV glowed to life with the first strings of the movie's intro credits.

"The _only_ way to watch it outside a theater." Jake's amused voice was next to him as the couch settled from the extra weight.

"Too true." The tabby grinned widely, hoping Jake was trying to make this as simple as possible; giving easy openings for him to offer as much as the lean tom wanted.

Chance paid just enough attention to the film to know where it was, waiting for the two leads to get to the point and make out in the tall grass. The rest of his considerable focus was directed at being very subtle in his seduction of the aroused tom next to him.

"Ch ... Chance?" Jake's voice was shaky.

"Mmm?" He leaned back a little, catching the glitter off wide eyes.

"I ... what ... urrr ... what are you trying to do?"

"I can smell what you want, buddy. What you've wanted for a while now." Chance spoke softly and seriously, backing off some more but never quite braking contact. "I'm willing." He was half surprised not to feel any response in the lean frame, then the silence stretched between them too long for comfort. "I am wrong?"

"No." The whisper echoed in both their ears, sounding much louder than it actually was, but there was no happiness in that voice. "You're right."

"Do you not want to ...." Chance let his voice drift off, not prepared for this lack of enthusiasm. Fear, uncertainty, nervousness ... anything that minimal experience caused he was ready for, but not apathy.

"Yes, I want to have sex with you." His voice was dull, hurting.

"Then what's the problem?" The tabby gave up on guessing games as his own cock started to ache.

"Beats the hell out of me." He pulled away, but only moved a couple paces.

Chance moved behind the shorter tom and embraced him, kissing the exposed neck. "Let me get you off at least." He shifted them both and pulled his friend tight and kissed him chastely, even more confused as the lean body nearly melted against him and decided to switch tactics for as long as his body would allow. "Let's lie down in bed. I'll do nothing you ask me not to. Okay?"

"Ookay." Jake barely had control of his body as the big tabby lead them into another dark room and urged him onto the familiar surface of his bed. He fought to control his breathing enough to form the words he hadn't really accepted himself. "Don't want sex ... I want your love."

"Oh." Chance froze, meeting half-lidded eyes. "I ... I ...."

"I know Chance." Jake closed his eyes and pulled his shirt off with a minimum of movement as he gathered himself to stand and caress the broad, bare chest he'd fantasized about so long. "Just ... needed you to know ... this isn't just lust for me. I can accept it is for you."

"Oh." He ran thick fingers through soft cinnamon fur, nearly drowning in the heady arousal from both their bodies, not wanting to hear the words his best friend was saying as the lean tom undid both their belts with shaking hands, but went no further.

He angled his head to tease the tabby's small nipples, one of the few fur-free areas of his body, drawing a pleasured purr from the tom. "I ... I've never done this ..." He looked up at his friend. "I ... I want to ... go ... go all the way. With you." He started shaking too hard to continue and tried to burrow into the broad chest, fear spiraling strongly through his scent.

Chance swallowed as the full implications of what was being said sank in. He'd known his friend was inexperienced ... but not that he was still a virgin to this. He shivered at memories of his own first time under to another tom, less than two years before. A less than pleasant experience by any standards; and his friend was more afraid than he'd been.

"Shu, Jake." He shook himself out of revere and shock to stroke the lean tom's shoulders and back. "I promise, I won't hurt you." He tipped Jake's chin up for a slow, tender kiss. "I need you to trust me that much, to believe that I will never do anything to hurt you."

Jake stilled and nodded weakly. "I trust you."

"Are you sure you want this?" Chance urged the compliant tom to lie on the bed after pulling the blankets down. "Without the promise of a mate?"

"Yes." Jake pushed his shorts and underwear down, then kicked them off, leaving him completely naked in the darkness, open and exposed to hungry eyes long accustomed to the dim light. He turned his head to watch the tabby strip teasingly; even here, it was clear who was more comfortable with their body.

"Relax, love." Chance crooned as he slid next to his slender lover-to-be, resting one hand on Jake's chest, feeling just how fast the tom was breathing. "I promise, you'll feel good." He regarded the body laid out next to him and decided that he looked better naked than dressed, and felt much better. "Promise you'll tell me if I do something you don't like, or doesn't feel good."

"I will." He whispered, trying to get his body under some semblance of control.

Chance unsheathed one claw and began tracing patters in dark fur, following the musculature, urging him to relax, to stop being afraid.

"Please ..."

"Please what, love?" Chance purred as he ran his hand up the inside of Jake's thigh.

"More ..." He gasped, his head arched back as he tried to make contact between the wondering hand and his crotch. "Don't tease me. Not today."

The tabby chuckled and complied, closing his fist around his partner's throbbing erection. He took time to savor the feel of the differences between them, and the erotically needy whimpers his touch drew. He shifted to kiss Jake as deeply as the tom allowed. Eagerly tasting his friend in this new way, and rubbed his own straining flesh against a hard muscled leg.

Jake shook his head loose of the kiss and growled. "In me, before I come."

"Easy ... that might not be possible." He hesitated at the angrily flicked back ears. "Jake, do you trust me?"

"Yes."

"Then trust me to pleasure you, and give you what you want the best way I know how."

"All ... all right." Jake stretched tentatively, leaving his hands above his head and spreading his legs as far apart as the bed and body next to him would allow. "Do as you will."

Chance desperately tried to control his response to those words, knowing that there was no way his friend meant it _that_ way. "You won't regret it, love." He lowered himself to kneel between spread legs and ghosted a breath over straining flesh, smiling as Jake's hips jerked up and a needy groan reached his ears.

With the smell of precome and need thick in his nose Chance easily swallowed the full length of his partner's cock while gently rolling smallish balls in his hand. He held the tom's straining hips down with the other, a touch surprised by just how strong the lean Kat was as he suckled up and down the barbed length.

A strangled, gurgling cry and a single stronger thrust were Chance's first and last warnings before gooey come sprayed across his tongue and down his throat. He swallowed quickly, but taking enough time to taste, and wonder at the almost complete lack of flavor.

When Jake had stilled except for breathing, exhausted and spent, the tabby rolled to his side and stretched alongside the smaller tom. "Decent start?"

"Yah." Jake's eyes were still closed, relaxed in the orgasm's aftereffects. When he'd calmed enough to breathe easily he rolled over to his elbows and knees, tail to one side.

"Now _that_ is a nice view." Chance purred appreciatively as he studied the offering posture, almost too horny to deal with what was coming.

"So are you going to do anything but look?" His voice was half tease, half demand.

"Oh, definitely going to do something about it." He chuckled hungrily, moving behind those lean hips and stroked them possessively, each stroke bringing his thumbs closer to the closed pucker, and the breaking point of his control. "Jake ..."

"Just do it if you're that hard." His voice was soft, unconcerned with the repercussions of his offer.

"No, love." The tabby managed between hard breaths. "I won't do that to you, won't hurt you."

"Then," Jake curled forward and around, bringing his muzzle within inches of the golden-tan crotch and bright red flesh and purred. "Let me calm you down."

"You ...."

" _Some_ things I've experimented with a little more." He grinned up. "Uly thought I was rather good at this." He stroked the throbbing erection with a feather-light touch, teasing with a somewhat experience hand.

"Ohhh ..." Chance closed his eyes and breathed in sharply. "I don't even want to know how to ended up with him."

"Do you want to see what I leaned with him or not?" Jake grinned.

"Yes." Chance's hands went to the head engulfing him by reflex and he groaned as he was sucked and licked with smooth precision. "Gods, yes." A chuckling purr vibrated the length of his cock and up his spine in response, and the tabby had little question that his friend had a fair amount of experience at _this_ form of sex.

The warm heat and suction disappeared for a moment, only to find his balls and he spread his legs wider in response, offering his body to this pleasure-giver he'd seriously underestimated.

Then Jake was inches from his face, fingers finding the pressure points to stop the tabby's impending orgasm with ease. "When will you mount me if you come now?" He breathed heavily, already partially aroused again.

Chance focused with some difficulty to meet his lover's steady gaze. "Tonight ... let me stay in your bed... we'll have plenty of time ..." He didn't even finish the idea before Jake had swallowed him again with both hands holding his hips steady against his best efforts as he roared. With stars in front of his eyes the tabby did his best not to crush his lover as his muscles went to Jell-O.

He was only partially aware of the smaller tom pulling the blankets up and settling in against him. Still he managed to feel disturbed at how different this felt from all his other encounters, how badly he never wanted this night to end.

* * *

_Chance pulled his willing mate close and smiled into his hair during the last dance of their senior prom, still chuckling lightly to himself at their award of 'The Couple Who Took the Longest to Get a Clue.' Though he wasn't so sure he was happy about Jake 'Student Most Likely to Blow Up the City' one._


	2. The Strength of Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From the recklessness of high school youth, Jake Clawson comes to a distressing realization about the tabby he's known all his life.

Jake smiled playfully as he pinned the giggling black and brown she-kat between his arms against her open locker. "I still don't hear a 'no', Brandy."

"And you won't." She giggled again and blushed under dark fur as he leaned forward to kiss her mouth. "I've heard about you."

"Good things, I hope." He quirked an eyebrow.

"Skillful things." She purred. "About what you can do with this;" slender fingers ghosted over the slight bulge in his tight jeans. "And your tongue."

"Good to know I've left such an impression." Jake chuckled with a hungry grin. "Are you going to put me to the test?"

"Mmmm." She cocked her head and pretended to think about it. "I don't know ... I heard other things too."

"Same things I've heard about you." He crooned, stepping away from her as a muscular chocolate on gold tabby walking down the hall caught his attention.

"You get distracted easily." She half pouted.

"Hardly." Jake snorted as the big male leaned against the wall several lengths from them and watched, his backpack on the floor at his feet. "Chance is probably the only Kat in the school I won't sleep with."

"Not what I heard." She gave the tabby a good looking over before shifting her weight to assess Jake's reaction to the blatant lie.

He just shrugged. "My place, Pyday evening?"

She shook her head and laughed as she grabbed her own pack and walked off. "I'll be there."

"Hi, Chance." Jake smiled with real warmth at his lifelong friend as they fell into step, walking towards the parking lot and Jake's bright red motorcycle.

"Hi." The tabby hesitated a moment, then shook his head. "Aren't you ever going to get tired of just fooling around?"

"Not yet." He shrugged, a little uneasy. "I don't see why you insist on waiting for someone special."

"Because it's better when you care about your bedmate." Chance replied easily. "If you'd ever slept with someone you _did_ care about, you'd know that."

Jake went quiet until they reached the bike and didn't look at the other tom as they secured their backpacks behind the deep seat. His voice was very low in the busy parking lot when he finally answered. "Because that would have to be you."

The tabby froze, stunned at the unexpected statement and nearly missed getting on the bike behind his friend. He didn't see any of the rapidly passing homes as they headed to the edge of town and Jake's isolated house, lost in thought at the implications of the lean Kat's statement, then it wondered on to the Kat who made it. He never ceased to wonder at how well the young tom had done emancipated. He lived better than most adults; although he was only a high school sophomore, and a young one at that, he was already selling his vehicle designs.

"Yo, Chance? You alive?" Jake's voice snapped the bigger tom out of his thoughts in the home's garage.

"Yah." He shook his head to clear it and met the concerned look his friend gave him. "Just thinking."

"You know better than to do that." Jake chuckled and thumped the tabby's shoulder and headed for the inside door. "How long you get to stay?"

Chance shrugged. "Long as I want."

"I thought you had to be accountable or something these days." The lean tom asked over his shoulder as the entered the house and headed for the kitchen.

"As long as I keep my grades and attendance up, nobody checks." He shrugged and accepted the cold soda. "Dad sure as hell doesn't care."

"He hit you again, didn't he?" He gave the bigger Kat a critical once-over, just barely keeping the anger out of his stance.

Chance shook his head. "Mom and Timothy got it this time."

They both slipped into an uncomfortable silence as Jake lead the way down to the large den. "Then let's make sure a least you stay safe."

"Hu?"

"Get your homework out." Jake dropped into a chair at a dinning table with a very serious expression. "You're grades are going to go up and stay there as long as I'm your friend."

"You don't ..." His voice trailed off at the fiery determination facing him and sat down, mollified. "Thanks, buddy."

"You're smart enough to do well." Jake rested a hand on his shoulder. "Don't you dare buy what those creeps say."

Chance stared at the lean Kat next to him in a mixture of thanks and bewilderment.

"You _are_ smart, Chance." He assured sadly.

"Not as smart as you."

"Does it matter?" Jake cocked his head. "There are Kats smarter than me too."

"I ... guess not." Chance pulled his math homework out. "Thanks."

"Anytime." The lean tom smiled at him.

* * *

Chance glanced at the clock the two days later as they lounged watching TV; anxiety increasing as he tried to figure out when Jake would ask him to leave so he'd be free to play with his new 'girlfriend'.

"Umm, Chance?" Jake shifted to face his friend a little more.

"Yah?"

"I was wondering if you ... well, if you'd like to try a threesome? With Brandy and me."

The tabby's breath caught in surprise as he tried to understand the offer. "Uhh, sure, why?"

The lean tom shrugged. "I thought it might be fun ... and I don't really want you to, well, I don't want to risk loosing you to that _thing_ that claims to be your sire."

Chance just stared at his best friend for a long time as Jake wouldn't quite meet his gaze. His voice was very low when he finally broke the silence between them. "I could just go out back and work on a car or something ..."

"You can." Jake nodded uncertainly. "I just thought it might be ... fun."

He watched the younger tom carefully, not ready to really think about some of the possible implications and forced himself to grin as he started to warm up to the idea of sharing a bed with Jake and a girl, no matter how weird it seemed. "Yah, I think it will be."

* * *

"Hi, Brandy." Jake smiled at her when he opened the door shortly after dusk dressed only in a loose pair of shorts and showed her in. "How adventurous are you feeling?"

"You planned something ... interesting?" She purred softly as he slid a hand under her miniskirt to caress her ass, pleased to find it bare.

"You might say that." He breathed in the erotic mix of her mild arousal and perfume and shifted behind her to slide one arm around her body to fondle her firm breasts. "You have two toms to please you tonight. I invited Chance to join the party."

"Mmm, I like your style." She leaned back against him and breathed sharply as he shifted his hand from her ass to slide across her slicked clit teasingly.

"Good." He purred softly and nipped her neck before twisting to put her back against the wall and slid to one knee, caressing her body on the way down. "But you're mine first."

"Bold kitten." Her breath caught as his tongue pushed inside her, then lapped forward to tantalize the rest of her crotch. "Ohh, yessss."

"Tastes good." He purred against her clit before resuming his hungry exploration, encouraged by what the mews and gasps of pleasure above him.

"Ohhhh, yessss ..." She shuddered, pressing her thighs together against the strength of her lover's hands and clutched at the wall.

"I like _your_ style." He crooned against her neck as he stood, pressing his fingers into her slick crotch. His breath quickened as her muscles spasmed under them. "Very responsive."

"Your friend ... this good?" She gasped between deep breaths.

"Don't know." Jake chuckled and he licked his mussel clean as she leaned against him. "Care to find out?"

"Yah, just one question ... _how_ did you learn to do that at fifteen?" She glared at him incredulously and tried to pull her short skirt down with one hand.

"A lot of practice." He purred against her ear. "It's my favorite kind of play."

"Mmmm, and your friend's?" She leaned against him, not sparing the obvious bulge in his shorts a lack of interest.

"You'll see." He smirked as he opened the door to the master bedroom, revealing a rather bored, heavily built tabby lounging naked on the huge bed, the sheets covering only his feet.

"Looks like you started the party without me." He growled playfully as he looked the pair over.

"Just getting me warmed up." Brandy crooned, taking a very good look at what was considered one of the more difficult Kats in school to get a date with, and absently wondered what in the world held these two together.

Jake stood behind her but kept his eyes on the tabby as he loosened her blouse, then hiked her miniskirt up and returned one hand to cup and kneed her firm tits, drawing several moans from the dripping shekat. "What do you think?"

"That you've _played_ with her too long." Chance chuckled, his still-adolescent voice husky with arousal as his eyes roamed over the scene of his best friend fondling an attractive, half-naked, very aroused and willing shekat. An enticing show he was well aware was done mostly for him.

"Mmm, I don't think _we've_ played with her nearly enough." Jake crooned, urging Brandy onto the bed.

She glanced between the excited males and grinned. "My turn to call the shots. On your knees, brace your back against the wall, tiger." She helped guide him willingly into the position she wanted, half surprised when it became obvious he knew what to do.

"I like a decisive partner." Chance purred as she kissed him and guided herself into his thick cock.

"Good." She shifted experimentally, adjusting her position to rub his fur against her clit a little more and flicked her tail along her spine. "I understand you like the back position ...."

"Oh, yah." He breathed and wasted no time grabbing the lube from his nightstand and began preparing her as quickly as he could. He looked up at the tabby's face when the other tom gasped. "Chance?"

"I can feel your fingers ... moving inside her." A mixture of surprise and pleasure colored his husky voice.

"Mmm, yes." Brandy purred and nipped Chance's neck as the cinnamon tom spread more lube along his cock. "It's _very_ good."

"Ready?" Jake whispered, pressed against her back with the tip of his cock teasing her ass.

"Yesss." She groaned as he pushed in hard, burring himself to the sheath in a single motion, then held still. The raw shock on the tabby's face was enough to hold both their attentions for a moment.

"Move, buddy." Jake rocked and groaned deeply at the feel of a thick cock rubbing again his own inside her. "It gets better." He crooned, leaning forward to kiss him over Brandy's shoulder. "Fuck her so I can feel it."

Chance swallowed as his friend slid back a little to bite her right shoulder and let his body do what came naturaly. When he felt his male partner begin to shudder he claimed her left shoulder and let everything go.

* * *

Brandy woke still feeling the sated contentment of last night, but to an empty, almost cool bed. She blinked and looked around Jake's large bedroom, a little surprised at how bare of personal touches it was. But at the same time, what was there was very nice, even if it said little about the owner but his taste in aircraft, motorcycles and color; something the entire school was well aware of.

She stretched and slid out of bed to search for her host, unconcerned with her nudity. After all, it was their bodies that brought her here; but it was his touch that would bring her back. Jeff wasn't lying when he said the younger tom was a considerate and passionate bedmate.

She smiled to find both males dressed and sitting on a small pier in the huge fishpond in the back yard. Jake sat on the edge with both feet dangling in the water, Chance was kneeling next to him with one hand on the lean tom's shoulder.

Her smile disappeared when it registered that they were both pretty upset. She turned around to find the shower an dress.

* * *

"Jake?" Chance whispered uncertainly as he knelt next to his best friend as the smaller Kat watched his fat koi swim around his feet.

"Hi."

The tabby shivered at the depression in that voice. "Something wrong?"

"You were right." He buried his face in crossed arms as he brought his knees up.

"Oh." Chance cautiously wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulders, relieved when the slender tom leaned on him a little, but not comforted at all by the fear so prevalent in his scent. "It's not that big a deal, Jake. You'll find someone you care about."

"You don't _get_ it." He growled without moving. "I don't _want_ a relationship like that ... not with _anyone_. Especially not with you."

"What's wrong with me?"

"You're by best _friend_ , Chance." He looked up into confused and worried golden eyes. "I don't want ... friends can last a lifetime ... mates don't. I don't want to loose you."

"You won't, Jake." Chance cupped the tom's cheek. "And mates can be for a lifetime."

"Umm, guys." Brandy's scared voice just behind them drew their attention. "There are Enforcers at the door."

"Why?" Jake was more than a little annoyed as he and Chance followed the hurriedly dressed and still damp fem to the front door.

"Something about Chance." She shivered at the defensive rage that flickered to the surface of Jake's demeanor. "They don't look happy."

"Unless they need to talk to you, you should probably leave."

"Umm, yah, good idea." She fell back, behind both toms as Jake opened the door and ushered both Enforcers in.

"I'm Detective Tydin Swyla." A handsome Cheetah male introduced himself. "This is Detective Felina Feral." He motioned to a taller, heavily built brown and black she-kat.

"Morning Detectives." Jake motioned them to sit on the living room couch. "Do you need to talk to Brandy?" He nodded at the very nervous fem.

"Are you very close to Chance?" Felina asked the other female gently.

"No, ma'am." She shivered.

"Then probably not." Tydin turned his attention to the distressed young toms across from him as the girl bolted. "We have some bad news, Chance." He tried to speak both calmly and sympathetically without loosing his authority. It was a trick his partner had yet to pick up. "Your parents and five siblings are dead."

The young tabby shivered and accepted the comforting touch of his lean friend. "How?" His voice was weak.

"We don't know for sure, but it looks like your father shot them, them took his own life." Felina spoke softly, kneeling next to him to offer what little comfort she could.

"Makes sense." Chance whispered, holding himself tightly. "He's threatened it enough times. I guess he finally lost it."

"Do you have a place to say?" She asked.

"Yes." Jake spoke up strongly enough to get both Enforcers attention and rubbed Chance's leg, speaking to the shocked tabby. "You're welcome here as long as you want to stay."

"Ththanks." He whispered with an uncertain glance at his friend, then tried to smile at him. "Thanks."

"You said he'd threatened this before?" Tydin caught their attention. "Do you think you're up to telling us about it now? It would be helpful in getting this over with as quickly as possible."

"I think so." Chance steadied himself. "Do ... can we eat first? I haven't had breakfast yet."

"Of course." Jake and Felina spoke as one, then glanced at each other in muted amusement.

"Come on, everybody sit at the table and I'll cook up something." Jake helped his friend up, then let him go. "You two hungry?"

"We're fine, thank you." Tydin answered and Felina nodded as they moved to the dining room, which was open to the kitchen.

"Where are your parents, Jake?" Felina asked for some small talk.

"Honor's Green Cemetery." He shrugged and pulled out eggs and several containers with various colored contents from the refrigerator. "I've been emancipated for almost two years."

"Oh, I'm sorry." She backed off quickly.

"It's okay." He offered a weak smile, and motioned to the house and property around them. "I've done pretty well, all things considered."

"So what are your hobbies?" Tydin tried for a safer topic.

"All sorts of things." Jake make a decided effort to chat so Chance could sit quietly and try to absorb the news of the day while he cooked an omelet for the tabby. "I make an income with schematics of aircraft and combat vehicles, and a couple civilian items. It's good money for not a lot of work." He paused to flip the omelet closed, then over a few seconds later. "So I guess you could call high school a hobby, but mostly I like designing and building stuff." He waved a free hand around the house. "About half the gadgets in here are mine design."

"Wow." Felina gave honest praise as he slid the omelet onto a plate and pushed it in front of Chance's nose and handed him a fork.

"Eat, buddy." He gave the tabby's face a single caress with the back of his hand before moving to make his own meal.

"Thanks." He made the effort required with no enthusiasm.

"Any time." Jake tried to sound upbeat but didn't quite make it, then his shoulders slumped. "Hell of a way to start a day, hu?"

"Yah." The tabby mumbled around a mouthful of food, then looked at the two Enforcers. "Will either of you cause a fuss if I have a drink?"

The partners shared a glance and shook their heads.

"Just don't get _drunk_ in front of us." Felina added as an open beer-milk can was set in front of the tabby.

"Thanks." He mumbled and downed half the can in one swallow before returning to his food with fractionally more interest.

"So what about this case brought _two_ detectives to my door instead of an officer?" Jake prodded for information as he whipped his eggs to a yellow froth.

"Sixteen deaths and over thirty injured." Tydin offered quietly as both teenagers snapped their focus on him.

"You said ..." Chance opened his mouth.

"We don't know who all the others are yet. We found a family portrait with seven of the victims and you and made some assumptions based on it." He continued softly.

"Our job was to track you down." Felina added. "Both to find out if you'd been killed as well, or if you were alive, it's hoped you can identify some of the victims."

"You're sure it's my father, though?" He shivered despite the comfortable warmth of the room.

"One of the officers on scene knew him, your mother and one of your brothers fairly well." Tydin explained. "It's as certain as we can be before the fingerprints come back."

"Officer Exile Ice-Eyes?" Chance asked to their surprise. "Blue and white husky male."

"Yes." Felina nodded. "You know him?"

"Only from dad's cursings." He lowered his eyes and picked at the half omelet that was still on his plate. "And I saw him a couple times. I try to stay away from the house when dad's drinking, but I guess Officer Ice-Eyes was there a lot."

"He was, unfortunately not soon enough this time, though." Tydin nodded as Jake sat down with his own breakfast and a glass of plain milk.

"At least he wasn't killed by showing up too soon." Chance whispered. "How'd ... where'd the others ..."

The officers exchanged looks and Felina answered. "Most were shot in the street or in their doorways within view of your house."

Chance shut his eyes and pulled his wallet out. "You two saw all the dead and injured?"

"Yes." Tydin nodded as the tabby pulled out a small photo of a smiling blue-eyed, black furred girl his age with a white blaze down her face and handed it to Felina.

"Is she ... among them?"

"I'm sorry, Chance." Tydin didn't know how to console this teenager who was taking so much loss so bravely. "She's in critical condition."

"But alive." He pressed.

"As of when we last heard, yes." Felina consented.

"Where?" Jake interrupted sharply, catching Chance's attention as a flicker of hope crossed the tabby's face.

"Sisters of Mercy Hospital." Tydin caught the lean tom as both teens stood. "We ..."

"We can talk there as well as anywhere." Jake growled. "The dead can wait, the living can't."

"We'll drive." Felina interrupted.

Jake opened his mouth to argue with her, then shook his head. "Thanks. I'm probably not in any shape to drive either."

* * *

"Do ... you want to sleep in my room?" Jake offered tentatively as they shut the front door late that night, both grateful when Detective Swyla called them in an excuse to stay out of school for the week.

Chance blinked in surprise, then dropped his eyes. "Yah, I really would. You sure ...."

"I'm sure, Chance." He squeezed the tabby's hand. " I can't ... undo what we did, and I won't turn away from you because of it." He looked down. "I can only hope I'm wrong this time."

"Uhh, Jake ... are you ... urrr, proposing to me? Like in boyfriends?" He tried very hard to wrap his brain around one too many shocks in one day.

"I guess so." He looked up, meeting glazed over golden eyes. "This really isn't the time to discus this ... but I am offering ... asking ... if you'd be my mate."

"Mmu ... mate?" He breathed in disbelief.

"I guess it would have to wait a few years for the technicalities, but yes." He shivered and took a deep breath. "Or boyfriend, or just friends. Whatever you want, I just don't want to loose you."

"You're right, this isn't the time to be talking about this ... but I'd like to be at least your boyfriend and friend. I ... really need to think about that mate part, okay?"

"We both do, probably." Jake smiled tiredly. "Bed? We can at least keep each other warm tonight. Talk tomorrow ... maybe make out before we see Syreen and Brandin ...."

Chance couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head as they walked to the master bedroom. "Randy Kat."

"You know it." He snickered, then stopped the tabby with a touch on the arm and went dead serious as they entered the dark bedroom. "I don't mean you should ... have to. This ... it's a new idea for me for me to sleep with someone I haven't, err ... just _slept_ with."

"Jake." He tipped the smaller tom's chin up. "I _know_. Now can we get to sleep before this degrades into a conversation neither of us are ready for?"

"Yah, sure." Jake quickly stripped to his underwear and got into bed, watching with a confused heart as his best friend, and now boyfriend, stripped and joined him. But he couldn't deny how good it felt to have the big tabby hold him, and the thought that this might be a nightly occurrence for the rest of his life.


End file.
